They Call It ‘Needing Space.’ But It’s Really Emotional Abandonment

The avoidant silence treatment that echoes louder than words

There’s a particular pain that doesn’t leave bruises.

No loud arguments. No slammed doors.

Just silence.

You try to stay calm, try not to overthink it. You tell yourself they just need time. That maybe they’re overwhelmed, stressed, going through something.

But your chest tightens with every hour that passes without a text. Every night they turn their back in bed. Every question you ask that gets met with a shrug, or worse — nothing at all.

And slowly… you begin to feel invisible.

But let’s name this for what it is:

This silence isn’t just space.

It’s punishment disguised as protection.

If this sounds familiar, you aren’t alone. This is a very common pattern avoidant partners like to use when the are struggling to express their needs and wants, or feeling uncomfortable with closeness, aka emotional intimacy. We have both experienced this in our past relationships and it can be downright challenging on how to navigate.

We share with you the psychological insight and boundary scripts of how to strategically move through this situation with simple skills that stick. We hope you feel inspired to voice your value by setting healthy boundaries.